From John McAdams, Ph.D- mu-warrior.blogspot.com

“Greg Karge, chimed in to point out that police often bear the brunt of this disrespect for the law, mentioning an incident he had seen. An Hispanic who was pulled over proceeded to abuse the cops, calling them ‘racist…’ A liberal student told Karge ‘you have no right to look at something from one side,’ a hugely ironic statement, given that the class had been looking at the issue only from the side of aggrieved minorities. After class Snow took Karge aside and told him that his comments ‘could have been interpreted as offensive,’ mentioning especially offense to black students. She ‘suggested’ to him that he should write an apology to the black students.”

From Sarah Kirby- gop3.com

“I was present in Dr. Snow’s [History and Philosophy of Crime and Punishment] class when my classmate, Greg Karge, was intellectually assualted…based on his comments on race and the police…As a side note, I wanted to support Greg, but I was afraid that my opinion would also be unreasonably criticized and suppressed.”

From Dashaway- thewordwarrior.wordpress.com

“As my friend Hillary once stated, “women’s rights are human rights.” And you know, if human rights are human rights, I don’t think the defense of them should be a partisan issue. With a little Wisconsin pride bursting forth, I am glad to say that at least one congressperson [Russ Feingold] understands this” (clarification added).

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I’m sure that virtually all of us are still reeling at the horrific events which took place on at Virginia Tech. Such mindless evil is dreadfully hard to contemplate. There are no easy answers to difficult questions.

And yet . . .

And yet . . .

Like we have seen so often before, during times of immense tragedy, amid all the suffering and pain, amid all the questions and the anger – there are also miracles. There are those who “were supposed to be somewhere, but weren’t,” and later realize that they have been spared. There are those who, in moments of unspeakable horror, act with incredible courage. There are those who “rise to the occasion,” when the need is greatest.

We see the Finger of God.

I see the Finger of God in the heroic sacrifice of a professor, who literally blockaded a classroom door with his body so that his students could escape. Greater love hath no man.

I see the Finger of God in the presence of an Eagle Scout in one classroom, who was able to render emergency first-aid to those around him – and was never touched by a bullet.

I see the Finger of God on the life of a young man who decided to have a quick coffee with his girlfriend, rather than rush off. They are both alive today.

I see the Finger of God on the life of a young woman who, although always early, was, for some reason running late.

I see the Finger of God in the very fact that these tragedies are so rare; that this sort of wanton evil remains, for the most part, checked.

It was St. Thomas Aquinas who pointed out that, if God wanted to destroy the Universe, He would not have to do anything – He would have to STOP doing something. It is His Finger on the pulse of the Universe which keeps everything going.

I grieve with all those who have lost friends and loved ones. I grieve for the loss of life – and for the loss of innocence. And I am filled with wonder and great gratitude at the little miracles, those actions by the Finger of God, which kept this terrible, terrible tragedy from being infinitely worse.

May the souls of the victims — and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Submitted by David Zampino, lecturer in the Theology Department

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With many prisoners being released in major cities around the country, such as Detroit and St. Louis, there are many safety concerns surrounding urban campus life. Milwaukee is no exception. With one of the highest increased crime rates, many parents are feeling nervous about their college children. Marquette is one of the most highly secured campuses, however, and it has an obligation to students and parents that it does not take lightly. Although there are concerns about the Marquette campus not being safe, it is simply not true. Marquette ensures the safety of its students and faculty by taking extra precautions and offering many different safety options in all areas of student life.One such service that Marquette provides is student security escorts to accompany students around campus. A student can call the Department of Public Safety and two security members will meet with the person and walk him or her to the necessary destination. These students are easy to reach, and they wear bright yellow jackets so that they can be seen from far away.

Blue lights are another safety tool Marquette uses to ensure the well-being of all members of the university. These blue lights can be found on just about every street corner and can be used 24 hours a day. If at any time a student feels unsafe or threatened, he or she can push the button on the blue light, and Public Safety officers will immediately come to a student’s location. These are very helpful, especially late at night. Everyone in the communities in and around Marquette is aware of the blue lights, so they may help deter offenders off as well as bring public safety to the scene.

The dorm policy for entering and visitng is yet another precaution Marquette takes to keep students safe. Two student workers are on duty all day in each residence hall, and Public Safety officers take over for the late-night hours. A student must provide official Marquette identification which will be swiped in order to allow access to the building. This particular precaution exists so that people from the neighboring areas cannot walk into the residence hall without proper permission. Along the same lines, if a student wants to bring a visitor to stay for the night, the student must have paperwork filled out ahead of time so that the university is aware of who is in the building at all times.

Another valuable service Marquette offers its students is Local Inercampus Mobil Operation (LIMO) vans. These vans are accessible from the hours of 5 p.m. through 3 a.m. to any student who needs a ride for any reason. “The limos are great, especially on a cold night,” commented Brigid Brennan, “and it’s a relief when I’m wearing heels and my feet hurt after a long night to get a ride back home.” A student can call the Public Safety office, and a LIMO van will pick that student up in a timely manner from their location. This is useful in late-night situations when students may not feel safe walking back to their residence halls. These vans are always driving at night and can be flagged down by any blue light if a student cannot remember the telephone number.

Through Marquette’s excellent Public Safety services, there are also self defense classes available to students on campus free of charge, and they put out a newsletter informing students of current events and programs they sponsor. The Public Safety offices are located across the street from McCormick Hall on 16th street, and they are open 24 hours a day. The officers are friendly and always willing to help students anyway they are able.

When I first decided to attend Marquette, I was initially nervous because I had never lived in an urban setting. My mom was more nervous about my safety than I was, so we did some research online about the safety at Marquette, and it eased our fears about my safety. I can honestly say that I have not felt threatened since arrived. I walk to my residence hall on 16th Street from 11th Street from campus activities, and I have never felt unsafe. With a blue light on each block, LIMO vans circling continuously along with Public Safety officers everywhere, I know I am safe. Marquette is a safe community, and if a student is fully informed on ways to stay safe and all the services the university has to offer, there is no need to fear.

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One way to get a feel for campus safety is to ask someone who was a victim of crime. After all, safety is just as much of a feeling as it is compiled of statistics. My roommate recently became a victim of armed robbery on the corner of 16th and State streets, right outside our house. A gun was pulled on him, and the robbers stole his backpack, wallet and cell phone. My roommate is now a faithful customer of Marquette’s L.I.M.O. service, because he feels unsafe traveling alone for even a few blocks. One aspect of attending a city school is living with city problems. Unfortunately for Marquette students, Milwaukee has had the biggest crime increase of cities with populations of 250,000 or more. According to a June 14, 2006 article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, murders and assaults in Milwaukee have “soared.”

This follows an overall increase of crime throughout the Midwest.

Clearly Milwaukee has its share of crime-related problems. Our immediate concern, however, is campus safety. Records from the Milwaukee Police Department during the month of October show Marquette’s campus is feeling the burn. For instance, there were eight robberies, three aggravated assaults, three burglaries, five motor vehicle thefts, two shots fired (both in the past week) and 33 thefts.

Although these numbers are serious, they do not compare to those found just outside the DPS patrol zone. Just north and west of Marquette, crime is more severe. How are we to feel safe on campus when our nearby neighbors are being mugged? There is no way to isolate ourselves from the problems of the community, and this directly relates to the uneasy feeling students get when they walk home at night.

For those of us living outside Marquette-owned property, crime is especially a concern. Not only do these students experience increased rates in theft and burglary, they also have to deal with the presence of convicted sexual offenders. Twelve offenders live near these students.

Another sign that Marquette’s campus is not particularly safe is suggested in the different habits students have adopted. One female student who attended a Public Safety self-defense class told me she no longer keeps her hair in a ponytail when walking alone at night. This makes sense, because if someone would attack her from behind, she would have a much better chance of pulling away if the attacker can only grab a portion of her hair. Another female student said she always turns around to glance at whomever is walking behind her. After taking note of height, weight and physical appearance, she feels safer knowing she could pick someone out of a lineup.

If we accept the reality that Marquette is not a safe campus, we have to look for solutions. Marquette’s recent addition of lampposts was noble, but it has to go further. My roommate was robbed partly due to poor lighting. Marquette has to work with off-campus housing to address this issue if Marquette students don’t just live on campus. One female student has suggested that more DPS officers should patrol campus on bike and on foot. This suggestion came after an officer patrolling in a car failed to even look at her while she was alone in a dark alley. A few students have suggested the Milwaukee Police Department should have an increased presence on campus, due to their broad jurisdiction and more visible authority.

One more way to increase campus safety is to change the location of where dollars are invested. I know my tuition dollars are going toward impenetrable dorm security, and it seems like off-campus housing students are getting the short end of the deal. Those on the campus borders need more security. Even if Marquette shifts the majority of its security to its borders, the heart of campus will remain safe. Crime simply cannot penetrate an area so congested with traffic and people.

Many of us chose Marquette without giving much thought to the issue of security. This is because an environment of education is expected to be safe. Now that we are faced with reality, let’s not be discouraged that crime on campus exists; rather, let’s focus on how to get rid of it.

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